Here is a brief description. Recently I have implemented this
pattern in Houdini, C++/OpenGL, Python and Scratch as well as in
the 90's with GL/C on Silicon Graphics Workstations (for those of
you who remember what those are).

Now we have adj, which is our x coordinate and opp, which is our y
coordinate, thus we have ( x, y )

When we substitute these equations
in for r and θ it results in the phyllotactic pattern.

Implementing this in Houdini or Python
or ...

So now you have the formulas, now what? You can
use just about any graphics interface/programming language as a
playground.
Exercise 1 VSFX350/721 will be implementing this in Houdini. Click
here for some additional notes. If you would like to see an implementation
in